Amazon Review

This book has such an air of whimsy – from the playful imagery, to the puns on common words and brands from our world. Although this book occasionally dips into more serious themes, this lightheartedness makes for a delightful, fun read – especially in the lead up to Halloween.

Set in an alternate universe, where an incident 20 years ago changed a portion of the population into monsters; there is enough about this universe which is familiar but different – cars and planes, but also vampires and zombies.

Within the realm of paranormal stories, a nøkk stands out as unusual and interesting. I enjoyed this glimpse into Norwegian folklore. The nøkk, or rather, Steve’s discomfort about his outward image and the concessions he makes to ‘fit in’ felt realistic. We hear about creatures in folklore using handsome forms malevolently to lure prey; yet here it is subverted – in the 21st century, these creatures are just trying to fit in and find their place in the world.

Then there’s Brandon, one of the new humans joining Creelin U who can’t help but stand out. His golden retriever energy just makes me smile. However, despite his cheery countenance, Brandon has been through troubles which makes him introspective. Brandon strongly champions self-acceptance – not that people won’t judge you, but that what you are and how you look are not what defines you. We should be free to be ourselves, despite what people may think – making the attempt is the first step.

This book is a low angst, slow burn, bi-awakening story; featuring grumpy/sunshine MCs and some forced proximity and hurt/comfort. There is some tension as Brandon and Steve’s warring philosophies on self image and self acceptance come to a head, but these two slot together like pieces of a puzzle, and like always it ends in a HEA.

Aside from “Steve”, I really enjoyed the more unusual monster characters who featured in the story, and who I’m sure will feature again in the other books from this series – I’m keen to see more of this same-but-different world!

Instagram Review

🧜‍♂️🌊🏊‍♂️🤽‍♂️🎸🎶📲💞
Does that make sense? Yeah, me neither.

I had planned to read “Pretty Fly for a Vampire Guy” weeks ago (before GLO..), but unfortunately ran out of time. This week, while hopelessly lost in my ever-growing TBR, I was all of 2 pages in before I realised this is part of the same universe as “The Nøkk and the Jock” by Leslie McAdam, and so I decided to read that first. (I’m glad I did, since Clay features so heavily in it!)

Despite it not being celebrated widely here, this book certainly got me in the mood for Halloween (if you ignore the 32C/almost 90F temperatures here lately). There’s an air of whimsy, from the playful imagery to the puns on common words and brands from our world; even as it touches on some more serious themes too.

The nøkk, or rather Steve, is such a sweet, insecure character under that emo, aloof exterior. Contrasted with Brandon’s golden retriever energy, which just made me smile non-stop, these two were simply adorable together. This book is certainly a slow burn though, as it takes some time for Bran to both assess his feelings for Steve, and convince him to stop avoiding him!!

I really enjoyed the fresh cast of unusual monster characters, and I’m not sure where ‘Pretty Fly for a Vampire Guy’ fits along the ‘Creepin U’ series timeline but I’m sure I’ll get back to it soon. Sorry, can’t talk – got a whole series to get through.

The audiobook for “The Nøkk and the Jock” was released recently, if you enjoy those kinds of things, please go check it out!

(“Pretty Fly for a Vampire Guy” is by Leslie McAdam and CD Rachels and is a ‘Creepin U’ story, but not in the main series. I’m a little obsessed with the art sheilkuroi made too (as seen on the iPad), it’s so sweet.)

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Other promo with character art: one, two

Amazon Review

This is the kind of book you read when you WANT the angst, you want your heart to be ripped out and then slowly patched back together again as Dawson and Cal find each other in their new reality. The kind of book that has me crying into my pillow at 2AM, still unable to put it down.

From reading just the blurb the story’s premise was compelling, and it certainly delivered on its promise and more. I really enjoyed the author ‘voice’ and her style of writing which can be dense in its detail but doesn’t feel excessive and flows well. The book is written in third person present tense, and we get glimpses of both Dawson and Cal’s thoughts throughout the story; occasionally exclusively following one or the other in the moments they are separated.

The book is a slow burn, but I don’t know how it could be told any other way. It needs the time and the space for both characters to learn and come to terms with their new reality and find a way forward.

I wasn’t sure how the supernatural aspects of the story were going to play out, given that it is not touched upon for a large portion of the book despite starting explicitly with our reaper MC. At first the idea of ‘old’ Cal being redeemed by ‘new’ Cal didn’t sit right with me, because he didn’t deserve it; but I wanted these two to be together so badly it almost didn’t matter.

Luckily for me, Dawson does get to learn the truth. The hints of the supernatural and paranormal sprinkled throughout were masterfully done and tied up nicely at the end. Maybe a little convenient, but it works – and I’ve re-read that chapter perhaps more than a few times. I can only hope that this will be a more prominent feature of the next books in this series.

I do think this book treats the matter of domestic violence and abuse quite sensitively, and the complicated way this can affect the victim/survivor’s other relationships. Both Dawson’s coming back from trauma and Cal’s learning about the world like a newborn babe felt real.

Do pay attention to the trigger warnings to see if this book is for you as it does deal with some darker/traumatic themes, however I would recommend this book to anyone and will probably be a book I revisit again and again.

Instagram Review

‘Should The Sky Fall’ by Amithia Raine is the kind of book you read when you want that angst; when you want your heart to be ripped out and then slowly patched back together again throughout the course of the story. The kind of book that tugs at the heartstrings and has me wetting my pillow with tears at 2AM.

Despite dealing with some heavy themes however, the book itself isn’t inherently heavy. There is tension, but it becomes hopeful and warm. It’s hard not to be when ‘new’ Cal is like a golden retriever, so adorably curious about and confused by many things.

I wasn’t sure how the supernatural aspects of the story were going to play out, given that it is not touched upon for a large portion of the book despite starting explicitly with our reaper MC. The idea of ‘old’ Cal being redeemed by ‘new’ Cal initially didn’t sit right with me, because he didn’t deserve it. It all works out in the end, but I sense it may require reading the following books to fully grasp how all the other characters come to terms with this too.

I purchased the event-exclusive illustrated edition at GLO 2025, but I’m now emotionally attached to the imagery on the standard edition. Eventually I’m probably going to end up with both versions – a book so nice I have to buy it twice. I’ll need to track down Amithia to get the illustrated version of book 2 too, I’m now kicking myself I didn’t buy it at the same time! (Despite how justified I was for resisting since I was overweight in luggage already at the time)

I went back and re-read the beginning of the book while trying to write this, and this is certainly a book that only improves on the re-reading! I really appreciate how the start and the end tie together so remarkably well.

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I had the amazing opportunity to receive an ARC for this book before it was officially released! It was my very first ARC so I feel like I have a lot to learn, but I was really excited to get more involved with the book community online. Receiving the ARC was not conditional, and this review was voluntarily given.

Amazon Review

Cosmo is “Flash”, lightning on skates and a superstar on the ice, loud and confident and a friend of everyone; but hiding his insecurity whether he will be up to snuff, or if people will see past their preconceived notions. Eli is a brilliant physics whiz; but a duck-out-of-water, withdrawn and wears his anxiety on his sleeve. However, what others can’t see is his quiet confidence in his analytical abilities and a shrewd disposition. Despite their outward appearances, these two have more in common than it readily appears.

This book is a low angst, slow burn and an opposites attract story, told in an alternating first person POV. The nerd and the jock is by now a tale as old as time, yet Becca Jackson manages to keep this story feeling fresh and fun, bringing her own unique brand of charm; and the story is supported by her usual rich cast of side characters. While broadening each other’s horizons and propping each other up, Cosmo and Eli both come to realise: with a little help and by being themselves unreservedly, they are enough and they can be accepted as they are.

I do love a good story where the two MCs build each other up and become each others’ hypeman. It warms my heart, and by the end you can see the change in the MCs and the distance they’ve come. To be honest, initially I found the book hard to get into but this was more reflective of my own insecurities and geekish disposition than the book itself – that out of place feeling simply hit a bit too close to home. As Eli started to become more comfortable around the fraternity, so did I in following his POV.

As a slow burn, it took a while for these two opposing poles to become close enough to click together; but once they did, the story dialed the heat up quickly and the second half of the book just seemed to fly by. These two find some… creative ways to be together in a house full of others, and we have a decent amount of time to enjoy them as a couple. What becomes their little ritual together is extremely cute, plus we get some fun Parks family interactions.

My one single criticism of the book would be that there were too many fun details that were brought up and never mentioned again! Some unpleasant personalities midway through disappeared without a trace and, while I didn’t realise until we’d reached the end, made me wonder very much what happened to them. I would also have loved to see Eli’s family in this story, but perhaps that’ll come up in the future…

Becca Jackson has very quickly become an insta-read author to me, even if I still barely understand a thing about ice hockey. Despite that, I can say she scored a clapper on this one. (Yes, I looked that one up.) Though this book had cameos from “Love the Game” and from Becca’s own series “Love in Play”, everything is well explained and there shouldn’t be much confusion; just a lot of characters to keep track of. I’m not up to date on the rest of the series so I’ll definitely need to loop back through and read the rest.

Instagram Review

Cosmo is “Flash”, lightning on skates and a superstar on the ice, confident and a friend of all; but hiding his insecurities. Eli is a brilliant physics whiz; but a withdrawn and a duck-out-of-water. What others don’t see is his quiet confidence and a shrewd disposition. Despite their outward appearances, these two have more in common than it seems.

While broadening each other’s horizons and propping each other up, Cosmo and Eli both come to realise: with a little help and by being themselves unreservedly, they can achieve their desires.

I do love a good story where the two MCs build each other up and become each others’ hypeman. It warms my heart, and by the end you can see the (mental, emotional) change in the MCs and the distance they’ve come. The second half of the book in particular just seemed to fly by. What turns into Cosmo and Eli’s ritual together is extremely cute, plus we get some fun Parks family interactions.

I still barely understand a thing about ice hockey, but I can say Becca Jackson scored a clapper on this one. (Yes, I looked that one up.) Though this book had cameos from “Love the Game” and from Becca’s own series “Love in Play”, everything is well explained and there shouldn’t be any confusion. I’m not up to date on the rest of the series so I’ll definitely need to loop back through and read the rest (obviously I can’t miss out on Brent Parks).

Puck Shots is out now (from October 7)!

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You trudge along, tired and hungry, all you can think of is a nice lie down to sleep for a good ten hours. Your bag feels as though it’s full of bricks and it threatens to make you sink to the pavement into a puddle of fatigue and despair. You know that salvation is barely a kilometre away, but you can hardly make one leg step in front of the other, crawling up the path like a thirsty man in the desert, desperate.

Suddenly, you spot the figure in the distance. A small walking figure, carefree as they swing a small shopping bag from one hand, lazily bound up hair in the messy knot fluttering in the light breeze.

Suddenly it’s a game.

Adrenalin floods your veins as you zone in on that distant figure, eyes no longer clouded by sleep but sharp and alert as your pace quickens, the bricks forgotten. Your bag is almost as light as feathers as you power down the track.

You must beat them.

The figure draws nearer and nearer as your legs eat up the distance in your single-minded focus to beat that person, whoever they are, because you don’t really care who they are, you just want the glory of overtaking them. Of catching up to them. You know it makes no sense, but in the heat of the moment, your pulse thrumming in your ears, it is all you can think of and all you want to do. The path is a racecourse, the trees and grass spectators who cheer wildly as you dash around the bend almost on her heels and…

Stop.

The girl has plugged a key into her lock and is opening the door, disappearing inside the cosy home with her messy hair and her shopping and the rush of adrenalin that had powered you. All of it slips away and suddenly the bricks are threatening to melt you into that puddle again, your knees shake as they strain in keeping upright.

The last hundred metres might as well as kilometres.

Seems like I’m into short, dramatic pieces lately, but might as well get it out of my system. :)

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Sometimes words leave his mouth that he doesn’t intend, but they’re his safety blanket against the world. The scornful tone, the mocking, the threats – was this who he really was?

You’re not really like this, the inner voice inside whispers.

Shut up! He snarls back, as he does with anyone else, thrusting this inner voice inside, locking him there and throwing away the key.

He’d been this way for so long, it was almost hard to change. The passing time had made him bitter and resentful… different from the kid she would have recognised long ago. Much too different.

Have you been practicing your piano? He can hear her ask.

Sometimes he clenches the fingers on one hand, watching the multiple rings glitter as the sun hits the bright metal and shiny plastic throwing up little stars of light. Thin fingers. Pianist’s fingers.

Now cut and scarred fingers from the work he now did.

What was he even doing here?

Would she even love him if she saw him now?

But he couldn’t change, it was the only way he could understand how to continue. That logical part of him sat aside to watch him slowly ruin his world, powerless to stop him.

But then he found the one person who had cared more about him than ever before.

It was merely the act of a stranger who somehow cared for another stranger. But somehow this small act of kindness was a slap back to his senses and the world was suddenly bright again.

That one moment of selflessness and in that moment it was as if a dam that had been standing for much too long had suddenly burst. All the love he had to give, that he had suppressed and hidden away from for so long, now came gushing forth from the bottle that had been screwed tightly shut for almost a decade.

This was the kind of man he would gladly follow.

Others think he is blind, that he does not truly understand the man they all see as a failure, but he does. They are the ones that do not understand. He ignores the flaws he sees in the other man, because he knows. He knows this man has power, but just hasn’t figured out how to use it.

He believes this man is greater than he knows.

And why?

Because this man captured his heart.